Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 7:25-8:6; Mark 3:7-12)
The recruiter of the local Catholic high school offended the
bishop’s secretary. It was not serious. Perhaps the secretary did not think twice
about it. But the recruiter wanted to
make amends. He had a bouquet of flowers
delivered to the bishop’s office for the secretary. People today may not appreciate animal
sacrifices suggested in the first reading.
But they should be able to understand sin offerings like the recruiter’s
which amount to the same thing.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews tells his readers
that Christ is the perfect high priest. He
gives two reasons. First, he does not
have to offer sacrifice for his own sins because he has never sinned. Second, because he is God, the sacrifice he made
of himself was sufficient to take away the guilt of the whole world.
Although Christ has no need of our thanks, when we thank him
we gain forgiveness of our sins. Our
thanksgiving is like picking up the ticket that will get us into the fullness of
eternal life.
